There are a lot of words used by the Division of Public Health employees that may not be as familiar to you as they are to us. We will try to include as many of these words as possible in this area. If you have any suggestions of words to add to this list, please send us an e-mail using the address shown on the left hand side of this page. 

• AIDS – acronym for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
• Bioterrorism – the use, or threatened use, of biological agents to promote or spread fear or intimidation upon an individual, a specific group, or the population as a whole for religious, political, ideological, financial, or personal purposes
• Epidemiology – a branch of medical science that deals with the incidence, distribution and control of disease in a population
• HIPAA – acronym for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
• HIV – acronym for human immunodeficiency virus – the virus that causes AIDS
• SARS – acronym for severe acute respiratory syndrome
• STD – acronym for sexually transmitted disease

For more information, please contact the Division of Public Health.